Indonesia Western Highlights: Greater Sundas and Dragons 15 th to 28 th July 2019 (14 days)

Transcription

1 Indonesia Western Highlights: Greater Sundas and Dragons 15 th to 28 th July 2019 (14 days) Bali Starling by Dubi Shapiro Indonesia, spread across 17,508 islands and boasting over 1,600 bird species and nearly 400 endemics (more than any other nation in the world), cannot be ignored by the international birder! Delving first into Western Indonesia, we base ourselves on the island of Flores in the Lesser Sundas. Here we search for an array of ornate species such as Glittering Kingfisher, sensational Elegant Pitta, Wallace s Hanging Parrot, Flores Monarch and the bizarre Bare-throated Whistler before embarking on one of the undoubted highlights of the trip to Komodo Island. Here, 10ft long Komodo

2 RBL Indonesia Western Highlights Itinerary 2 Dragons roam this almost prehistoric paradise alongside Green Junglefowl and the beautiful, Critically Endangered Yellow-crested Cockatoo. A short flight takes us to the island of Bali, most famous as a beach tourism Mecca. Situated near the famous Bali Barat National Park, we target the few remaining truly wild Bali Starlings, alongside a supporting cast of Black-winged Starling, Cerulean Kingfisher and Javan Banded Pitta! Departing Bali, we head to the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, to explore the Javan hot spots of Cibodas and Gunung Gede National Park. These fabulous montane birding spots host all the possible Javan endemics, and we shall bird diligently for such highlights as Javan Trogon, Javan Kingfisher, Flamefronted Barbet, Pygmy Bushtit, Orange-spotted Bulbul, Javan Hawk-Eagle, Javan Tesia and Yellowthroated Hanging Parrot. We depart Java on a short flight to southern Sumatra and head to Way Kambas National Park. Producing arguably the best nocturnal birding in the whole of south-east Asia, Way Kambas gives us excellent opportunities for such tantalising species as the bizarre Oriental Bay Owl, Sunda and Reddish Scops Owls and Buffy Fish Owl, as well as Gould s, Sunda and the rare Large Frogmouths. Not that we will bird at night only, for the forests here hold many delights, including the marvellous Hooded and Malayan Banded Pittas, Crested Fireback, Storm s Stork, Banded and Rufous-collared Kingfishers, and Rufous-tailed Shama. Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Days 9 & 10 Day 11 THE TOUR AT A GLANCE Denpasar, Bali to Ruteng, Flores via Labuan Bajo Golo Lusang and Pagal Ruteng to Labuan Bajo Day trip to Komodo Island Labuan Bajo to Denpasar and drive to Bali Barat National Park Bali Barat National Park Bali Barat National Park to Denpasar Denpasar to Jakarta and onwards to Cibodas Cibodas and Gunung Gede National Park Cibodas to Way Kambas National Park via Jakarta and Bandar Lampung Days 12 & 13 Way Kambas National Park Day 14 Way Kambas NP to Jakarta and depart, or begin Eastern Highlights tour

3 RBL Indonesia Western Highlights Itinerary 3 TOUR ROUTE MAP THE TOUR IN DETAIL Day 1: Denpasar, Bali to Ruteng, Flores via Labuan Bajo. Our tour begins at Ngurah Rai Airport in Denpasar, Bali, where our group will meet for our flight to Labuan Bajo. Most of the day will be spent travelling up to Ruteng. At dusk, we will try and track down one of the island s least known and toughest endemics, the nearmythical Flores Scops Owl. Finding this species will, however, require some effort and a fair amount of luck thrown in as well! While searching for this mega owl, we will also have a chance of finding both Wallace s and Moluccan Scops Owls. Later in the evening, we will head to our accommodation in Ruteng. Elegant Pitta by David Hoddinott Day 2: Golo Lusang and Pagal. This morning we will head to Golo Lusang and bird the stunning high-altitude forest. Mixed feeding flocks may yield a number of localised specialities, including Little Minivet, Sunda Pygmy Woodpecker and Crested White-eye. The sweet song of White-browed Shortwing (occurring here as a highly distinctive subspecies, sometimes split as Flores Shortwing) may give its presence away in the dense undergrowth and we may also be fortunate to encounter Barred Cuckoo-Dove in the forest canopy. Other species that may entertain us in these highland forests include Mountain Tailorbird, Rustybreasted and Sunda Cuckoos (the latter split from Oriental Cuckoo), and mouse-like Pygmy Wren-babbler in the dense, dark gullies. If we are very lucky, the rarely-seen Sunda

4 RBL Indonesia Western Highlights Itinerary 4 Thrush, Dark-backed Imperial Pigeon, Scaly-crowned Honeyeater, Brown-capped Fantail or the sought-after Bare-throated Whistler and highly elusive Tawny-breasted Parrotfinch may also put in an appearance. The endemic race of Russet-backed Jungleflycatcher (sometimes split as Flores Jungleflycatcher) will also be a target. In the afternoon we will head to the midelevation site of Pagal, where we will search for Leaf Lorikeet, the tiny Russet-capped Tesia, Thick-billed Heleia, Oriental Whiteeye (of the striking yellow form) and Golden-rumped Flowerpecker. Fruiting fig Flores Scops Owl by David Hoddinott trees could hold the desirable and elusive Wallace s Hanging Parrot. Continuing westwards, we shall make one final birding stop in the beautiful forests of Puarlolo, a site famous for harbouring the incredibly rare Flores Monarch. Only discovered in 1971, it remains an almost mythical species. Puarlolo is also a good site for Glittering Kingfisher, Elegant Pitta, Chestnut-backed Thrush, Rufous-chested Flycatcher, Wallace s Hanging Parrot and a number of other Lesser Sunda forest endemics. After our afternoon s birding, we will head back to our hotel in Ruteng. We will head out and search for Flores Scops Owl again if we have not already found it. Day 3: Ruteng to Labuan Bajo. Today we depart Ruteng and make our way down to Labuan Bajo. Our birding will largely depend on what we still need and how much time we have available to us. We expect to arrive in Labuan Bajo this afternoon where we may venture to the nearby coastal fields and exposed mudflats to search for the near-endemic Javan Plover. Day 4: Day trip to Komodo Island. Today will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of the entire trip. We will board a boat for the world-famous Komodo Island before dawn in order to arrive at the island with ample time for exploration and photography. On this arid 390 sq km island, we will be met by one of the park s rangers and will then head off to the savannas and forests of this remarkable island, now a national park, in search of its most famous resident which we have an excellent chance of observing. Bare-throated Whistler by Adam Riley The Komodo Dragon was discovered by Westerners only in 1910 when an official of the Dutch Colonial Administration mounted an expedition of armed soldiers to investigate stories of fire-spitting dragons exceeding 23ft in length. Two theories exist as to the reasons for such a huge lizard evolving; the traditional thinking was that the Komodo Dragon was an example of island gigantism, a biological phenomenon whereby island forms tend to evolve into larger taxa (and conversely continental forms become smaller). However, recent evidence indicates that the Komodo Dragon is an ancient relict of giant lizards that

5 RBL Indonesia Western Highlights Itinerary 5 evolved in Australia but became extinct with other megafauna during the Pleistocene era. Measuring up to 10 ft (3 metres) and tipping the scales up to 200 lbs (90 kg), the Komodo Dragon is the super-predator on the island. Any creature they can overcome and kill falls within their dietary range: from invertebrates and birds, fellow Komodo Dragons, right up to mammals as large as Water Buffalo and even humans! The bulk of their diet, however, consists of large mammals that have been Komodo Dragon by Adam Riley introduced to these islands, notably Timor Deer, Wild Boar, Water Buffalo and goats. Animals up to the size of goats are swallowed whole, this process being aided by their loosely articulated jaws, flexible skull and expandable stomach. Nevertheless, this can be a slow process despite the saliva lubricating the meal, and Komodo Dragons have been observed to ram carcases against trees (sometimes even knocking trees down in the process) to force large prey items down their throats. Komodo is home to far more than these incredible lizards: 32 mammal species, 128 birds and 37 reptiles are known from Komodo National Park. Native mammals occurring on the island include Asian Palm Civet and several bat and rodent species. Birds are prolific and we will search for Green Junglefowl, Orange-footed Scrubfowl, the Critically Endangered Yellow-crested Cockatoo, Green Imperial Pigeon, the lovely Barred Dove, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Asian Koel, Collared Kingfisher, Blue-tailed Bee-eater, Black-naped Oriole, Arafura Fantail, Black-naped Monarch, Wallacean Drongo, Rusty-breasted Whistler, Flame-breasted Sunbird, Helmeted Friarbird and, with a bit of good fortune, Beach Thick-knee. After lunch on the island, we will have an opportunity to snorkel the remarkable coral reefs off Pink Beach before we begin our journey back to Labuan Bajo. En route we will keep an eye out for seabirds and possibilities include Lesser Frigatebird, White-tailed Tropicbird, Brown Booby and various terns, such as Black-naped, Lesser and Greater Crested, and Bridled. Schools of Indo-Pacific Bottle-nosed Dolphins may put in an appearance, or perhaps even a Dugong, which we were very fortunate to see on our 2013 tour, and maybe even a Bulwer s Petrel, which generally prefers deeper waters, may pass by our boat. We will arrive back on the mainland in the late afternoon to enjoy a final dinner on this fascinating island. Yellow-crested Cockatoo by Adam Riley Day 5: Labuan Bajo to Denpasar and drive to Bali Barat National Park. After breakfast this morning, we shall take a short flight from Labuan Bajo to

6 RBL Indonesia Western Highlights Itinerary 6 Denpasar. Switching to vehicles, we will spend most of the morning driving up to the western edge of the island, where the world-renowned Bali Barat National Park is situated. On our scenic route over the highlands of central Bali, we will soak in the unique Balinese Hindu culture with its abundant temples and acres of green rice paddies. We will also keep a lookout for birds along the way, including the stunning and nearendemic Javan Kingfisher, Long-tailed Shrike, Paddyfield Pipit, Pied Bush Chat and Black-crowned Night Heron. Expanses of tall, seeding grass in and Orange-footed Scrubfowl by Adam Riley adjacent to the rice paddies could yield four very special birds in the form of White-capped, Javan and White-headed Munias and the beautifully patterned Java Sparrow, as well as the more common and widespread Scaly-breasted Munia. Greater and Lesser Coucals, Striated Grassbird, Cinnamon Bittern and Javan Pond Heron also occupy this habitat. We can expect to arrive at our beach-side hotel in the late afternoon. Day 6: Bali Barat National Park. This wonderful reserve remains the last refuge for one of the world s rarest birds, the critically endangered and striking Bali Myna. We will explore dry monsoon forests as well as lusher lowland rainforest, mangroves, saltpans and savanna areas during our time here at the western end of Bali. Our main target over the next few days will be the mostly white (but sporting a blue eye-ring) Bali Myna. Not only is it one of the most eye-catching of all the world s starlings, it also happens to be a bird on the brink of extinction. This is tragically due to the relentless trapping of the species for the international cage-bird trade, but its fortunes have improved in the last few years and there are currently believed to be up to 150 birds left in the wild. We have an excellent chance of seeing this, Bali s only endemic and much-desired species, during our time in the park. Javan Kingfisher by Keith Valentine The park harbours many other mouth-watering birds and we will be on the lookout for the rare and near-endemic Black-winged Starling, Pink-necked Green Pigeon, Zebra Dove, Chestnut-breasted Malkoha, Plaintive Cuckoo, Common Flameback (a stunning woodpecker), Black-winged Flycatcher-shrike, White-shouldered Triller (an Indonesian endemic), flocks of Small Minivets, Lineated and Coppersmith Barbets, Oriental Dollarbird, Common Iora, Mangrove Whistler, Ashy and Hair-crested Drongos, Racket-tailed Treepie, Cinereous Tit, Oriental Magpie-Robin, Scarlet-headed Flowerpecker, regionally endemic Olive-backed Tailorbird, and Olive-backed Sunbird. Green Junglefowl is another localised target species that occurs in good

7 RBL Indonesia Western Highlights Itinerary 7 numbers, most easily encountered in the early morning or late afternoon. Blue-tailed and the stunning Chestnutheaded Bee-eaters can both be found hawking insects from exposed perches, and White-breasted Woodswallows, Grey-rumped Treeswifts and both Cave and Ediblenest Swiftlets forage overhead. We may also flush Savanna Nightjars during our forays or tape it into view in the early evening. Another speciality in the area is the splendid Javan Banded Pitta (a recent split of Banded Pitta) and we stand excellent chances of tracking down this beauty. During the heat of the day we shall spend some time scanning the Javan Plover by Adam Riley surrounding forest from vantage points for such delights as Brahminy Kite, White-bellied Sea Eagle, Crested Serpent Eagle, Black Eagle and the tiny Black-thighed Falconet. An early morning excursion into the lusher forests elsewhere in Bali Barat National Park should produce the scarce Fulvous-chested Jungle Flycatcher, Black-naped Fruit Dove if we are lucky, and the cheerful Crescent-chested Babbler. A short, high-pitched call may alert us to the presence of another rainforest gem, the minuscule Oriental Dwarf Kingfisher that favours stream-side snags in the forest interior. We will also seek out the much larger Javan Flameback (a split from Greater Flameback) and floppy Oriental Pied Hornbills. Other birds we will look out for include Orangebreasted Green Pigeon, Javan Cuckooshrike, Scarlet Minivet, Sooty-headed and the uncommon Ruby-throated Bulbuls, and Javan Myna. During one of our days here, we will head out by boat to a nearby islet that is also within the national park. A short walk on the island may reveal small-island specialists such as Lemon-bellied Whiteeye, Indonesian Honeyeater, Cerulean Kingfisher and Freckle-breasted Woodpecker. The nearby coastline may yield a few great birds, including the uncommon and often-elusive Beach Stone-curlew, Lesser Adjutant and Great-billed Heron, as well as Black-naped, Greater and Lesser Crested, Little and elegant Roseate Terns. A visit to a nearby salt works will produce a variety of wetland species, including our best chances of Sunda Teal, close encounters with Javan Plover, Pied Stilt and the first of the overwintering migrant waders. We will also try our luck with some of the area s rare owl species and, with a bit of effort and good fortune, we may find the sought-after Javan Owlet, Sunda Scops Owl, Brown Hawk-Owl or, if we are exceptionally lucky, Buffy Fish Owl. Java Sparrow by Adam Riley

8 RBL Indonesia Western Highlights Itinerary 8 Most people are surprised at the number of indigenous mammals that are encountered on Bali, including the abundant Crab-eating Macaques, many of which live around the temples where they are held sacred and therefore fed. They can also be seen far out to sea on the reefs at low tide, a behaviour which earned them their English name. Much rarer and we will seek them out in the lusher forests are Javan (or Ebony) Langurs. This species is endemic to Java and Bali, and troops of these black primates can be found in Bali Barat National Park and, if we are fortunate, we will also observe their bright chestnut youngsters. Javan Rusa are common and we should also see numerous Plantain Squirrels. Much tougher, however, is the huge Black Giant Squirrel, which prefers deeper forests. We are likely to observe Southern Red Muntjac and Wild Boar, but we would need to be very fortunate to find a Leopard Cat. Javan Banded Pitta by Adam Riley Day 7: Bali Barat National Park to Denpasar and flight to Jakarta. After breakfast this morning, we have a chance for some final birding in the Bali Barat area, before making our way back to Denpasar for our onward flight to Jakarta. On the way, if time permits, we will make a short stop in some highland forest in the Bedugul area. Day 8: Jakarta to Cibodas. This morning we will make our way into the hills of west Java, to the area around Gunung Gede-Pangrango National Park. We begin our birding in the early afternoon in the extensive and bird-rich Cibodas Botanical Gardens, one of Java s best and best-known birding localities. Here we should find the first of many regional endemics, including Pygmy Bushtit, Blue Nuthatch, White-flanked Sunbird, Blood-breasted Flowerpecker and Trilling Shrike-Babbler. Birding after dark may also bag the rarely seen Salvadori's Nightjar. Days 9 & 10: Cibodas and Gunung Gede National Park. Home to the vast majority of Java's endemic bird species, Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park (named after the two impressive volcanoes that dominate the park s landscape) will be our primary focus for birding over the next two days. Mixed species flocks will typically be dominated by Javan Fulvettas, Sunda Warblers and Mees s White-eyes, but other species also frequently join them. Retiring, ground-dwelling species such as Javan Tesia, Horsfield s Babbler, Pygmy and Eye-browed Wren-Babblers and Snowy-browed Flycatcher can be surprisingly easy to see close to the main trail. Here, amidst lush forest, impressive waterfalls and high peaks, we will search for such desirable species as Javan Hawk-Eagle, Brown-throated and Flame-fronted Barbets, Yellow-throated Hanging Parrot, Javan Scops Barred Buttonquail by Adam Riley

9 RBL Indonesia Western Highlights Itinerary 9 Owl, Javan Owlet, Crescent-chested and White-bibbed Babblers, Chestnut-backed Scimitar Babbler, Orangespotted Bulbul, Rufous-tailed Fantail, Sunda Minivet and Sunda Robin. On one day, we will attempt to ascend the steep trail as far as the hot springs in search of some rather special higher-altitude endemics such as Chestnut-bellied Partridge, Pink-headed Fruit Dove, Javan Trogon, Spotted Crocias and Rufous-fronted Laughingthrush. If we are really lucky, we may even find the rare and unobtrusive Javan Cochoa. Day 11: Cibodas to Way Kambas National Park via Jakarta and Bandar Lampung. This morning we depart Cibodas and drive to Jakarta Airport for our short flight to Bandar Lampung. Leaving Java behind, we will make our way by road to Way Kambas National Park where we will be based for the next three nights. Our journey passes through farmland and small rural villages before we reach the secondary forest at the edge of the national park and finally the forest proper. We should arrive in time to have some of the afternoon and early evening to begin exploring the rich lowland forest of Way Kambas National Park. Javan Trogon by Adam Riley Way Kambas is famous for regularly producing what could arguably be classified as the best nocturnal birding in the whole of south-east Asia. The possibilities are mouth-watering to say the least and include such tantalising species as the bizarre Oriental Bay Owl, Sunda and Collared Scops Owls, the minute and difficult to see Reddish Scops Owl, Brown Hawk-Owl, Buffy Fish Owl and Brown Wood Owl, as well as Gould s, Sunda and the rare and impressive Large Frogmouths. The forest edge may yield the harrier-like Malaysian Eared Nightjar and the more common and widespread Large-tailed Nightjar, and we even stand a reasonable chance of seeing the very rare and seldom-recorded Bonaparte s Nightjar, a Greater Sunda endemic that has recently been recorded from the area. Days 12 & 13: Way Kambas National Park. Way Kambas offers some of the best lowland forest birding in the whole of Sumatra and harbours an array of South-east Asia s most difficult and sought-after species. We have two full days to explore the tracks and trails that bisect this amazing forest and we will no doubt turn up an incredible suite of rare and delectable avian specialities over the next few days. Rufous-tailed Fantail by Adam Riley The forest edge can be especially birdy and from here we can expect sightings of the tiny Blue-crowned Hanging

10 RBL Indonesia Western Highlights Itinerary 10 Parrot as well as Blue-rumped Parrots, dashing overhead and sometimes perching in the open atop bare trees, Crested Serpent Eagle, Changeable Hawk-Eagle, the diminutive Black-thighed Falconet, Greater Coucal, spectacular Red-bearded Bee-eater, Slender-billed Crow, Common Hill Myna, Oriental Dollarbird, Ashy and Rufous-tailed Tailorbirds, Yellow-bellied Prinia, Banded Bay, Rusty-breasted, Plaintive and Violet Cuckoos, the handsome White-throated Kingfisher, musical Oriental Magpie-Robin and furtive White-rumped Shama. Whitebreasted Woodswallow, Asian Palm Swift and Whiskered Treeswift circle above the forest and in grassy areas, the rare Whitebellied Munia and with some luck, the near- Malayan Banded Pitta by Niels Poul Dreyer endemic Javan Munia may be found. The rare and endangered Storm s Stork may put in an appearance and we should also witness hornbills flopping overhead and through the tall forest canopy, with species including Black, Bushy-crested and Wreathed, as well as the rare Wrinkled Hornbill and the shy, understorey-dwelling White-crowned Hornbill. If we are lucky enough to encounter fruiting trees, we may be entertained by a number of gorgeous barbets and a feast of doves that could include the superb Coppersmith, minute Blue-eared, dashing Red-crowned and subdued Sooty Barbets as well as Little, Pink-necked and Thick-billed Green Pigeons, the usually rare and elusive Cinnamon-headed Green Pigeon and the huge Green Imperial Pigeon. Flowering trees could exhibit a variety of nectar and insect feeders like Purple-naped, Rubycheeked, Plain and exquisite Crimson Sunbirds, splendid Orange-bellied, Crimson-breasted and Yellow-breasted Flowerpeckers and the flighty Little Spiderhunter. We will spend some time in the forest interior searching for the many skulking understorey species that inhabit the gloomy forest floor of Way Kambas. Here we can expect a different suite of birds that include some of Asia s most spectacular species such as the marvellous Malayan Banded Pitta. Other delightful forest-floor species could include Crested Fireback (a brilliant pheasant), the outrageous Crested Partridge, a cacophony of relatively nondescript babblers, including Blackcapped, Short-tailed, Chestnut-winged, Ferruginous, Rufous-crowned, Moustached, Sooty-capped, Scaly-crowned and Chestnutrumped Babblers, as well as Fluffy-backed and Pin-striped Tit-Babblers, Rufous-collared, Banded and Oriental Dwarf Kingfishers, Common Emerald Dove, White-crowned Forktail and Rufous-tailed Shama. Orange-spotted Bulbul by Adam Riley We should also encounter fairly regular mixed species flocks and we shall sift through these bird

11 RBL Indonesia Western Highlights Itinerary 11 waves for species like Black-winged Flycatcher- Shrike, Green Iora, Rufous-winged Philentoma, Greater Green, Lesser Green and Blue-winged Leafbirds, Bronzed and Greater Racket-tailed Drongos, Dark-throated Oriole, Asian Fairy Bluebird, Banded, Black-and-yellow, Black-andred, scarce Dusky and mind-blowing Green Broadbills, Red-billed, Chestnut-breasted, Blackbellied, Raffles s and the rare Chestnut-bellied Malkohas, gaudy Red-naped, Scarlet-rumped and Diard s Trogons, Fiery and Scarlet Minivets, a multitude of bulbuls such as Red-eyed, Spectacled, Cream-vented, Olive-winged, Hairy-backed, Buffvented Bulbuls and Yellow-bellied Bulbuls, Black-naped Monarch, Malaysian Pied Fantail, Asian Paradise, Grey-chested Jungle and Malaysian Blue Flycatchers, Black Magpie and Velvet-fronted Nuthatch. Oriental Bay Owl by Adam Riley Woodpeckers also feature prominently and we can expect a range of striking representatives of this favourite family, ranging from the miniature Rufous Piculet to the giant White-bellied Woodpecker, as well as Banded, Checker-throated, Crimson-winged, Rufous, Buff-rumped, Buff-necked, Greyand-buff and Maroon Woodpeckers, and if we are lucky, the impressive Orange-backed Woodpecker. We will spend time exploring the swamps and forest along the Way Kanan River. Our main target species here is the rare and endangered White-winged Duck, which still survives here in small numbers. Way Kambas is one of the few strongholds for this elusive and now extremely localised species and we stand a good chance of seeing this mega duck. Other species we are likely to encounter along the river include dazzling Blue-eared and gigantic Stork-billed Kingfishers, graceful Bluethroated Bee-eaters, bullet-like Silver-rumped Spinetails, Lesser and Grey-headed Fish Eagles, the uncommon Jerdon s Baza and the snake-like Oriental Darter. Red-naped Trogon by Adam Riley Mammals are also well represented at Way Kambas and we may be fortunate enough to have encounters with both Agile Gibbon and the impressive Siamang (another kind of gibbon). Many species of treeshrew and squirrel frequent the forest as do troops of Crab-eating and Southern Pig-tailed Macaques, the endangered and endemic Sumatran Langur (also known as Mitred Leaf Monkey), the riverine Silvered Langur, Greater and Lesser Oriental Chevrotains and Wild Boar. Way Kambas also harbours some very rarely seen mammals, most of them nocturnal, such as Sunda Clouded Leopard, Asiatic Golden Cat, Marbled, Fishing and Flat-headed Cats, Binturong, Sunda Flying Lemur, Sunda Porcupine, Greater Slow Loris, the extremely endangered and mythical Sumatran Rhinoceros, Sun Bear, Asian Tapir, Otter Civet and Banded Linsang, as well as Tiger and Asian Elephant, but we would need to be very lucky

12 RBL Indonesia Western Highlights Itinerary 12 indeed to see any of these species. Species that are just as sought-after but are more likely to be seen include Leopard Cat, Banded, Masked and Small-toothed Palm Civets, Malay Civet, Red Giant Flying Squirrel and Yellow-throated Marten. Day 14: Way Kambas NP to Jakarta and depart, or begin Eastern Highlights tour. This morning we will depart for Radin Inten II Airport in Bandar Lampung for our flight to Jakarta, where the tour will conclude. For some, this will be the end of their Indonesian adventure, while for others we shall head off to the island of Sulawesi for the start of our Eastern Highlights tour. FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS: Tour dates, prices, single supplement rates, approximate flight costs and spaces available for this tour are displayed on our website. Please see under IMPORTANT NOTES below. This includes: All meals from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 14; Bottled drinking water; All lodgings; Ground transportation; Reserve entrance fees; Extra activities as mentioned in the itinerary; and All guiding services (including tips for local guides and services). The tour fee does not include: Visa fees; ANY flights; Any beverages; Special gratuities; Telephone calls and Laundry and other items of a personal nature. Single Supplement: The single supplement cost for this tour will be charged if you wish to have single accommodation. If RBL cannot provide you with a rooming partner for these nights although you choose to share, the single supplement will become applicable. We will make all reasonable efforts to ensure that a rooming partner is found if you do wish to share. IMPORTANT NOTES: a) Due to constantly fluctuating exchange rates, we quote our tours in 4 currencies. The tour price is however fixed only in the currency printed in bold, and the actual cost in the other currencies listed will be adjusted according to prevailing exchange rates at the time of final invoicing (usually 4 months before the tour.) The same applies to approximate flight and single supplement rates, which are also quoted in the respective fixed currency. b) Rates are based upon group tariffs; if the tour does not have sufficient registration a small party supplement will have to be charged. c) Furthermore, these costs are subject to unforeseen increases in tour related costs and may have to be adjusted as a result. d) Lastly, we may be forced to change or alter the itinerary and / or the designated Rockjumper leader/s at short or no notice due to unforeseen circumstances; please be aware that we will attempt to adhere as close to the original program as possible.

13 RBL Indonesia Western Highlights Itinerary 13 Tipping: As noted above, gratuities (drivers, hotel staff, restaurants etc.) are included on this tour. However, this does NOT include your Rockjumper leader/s. If, therefore, you feel that he/they have given you excellent service, it is entirely appropriate to tip them. Please Note: The intensity of walking on this Highlights birding tour varies from easy to moderate. You should be in good health and fitness to undertake this tour. If you have any physical limitations or medical conditions of any sort, please do let the Rockjumper office know in advance. We will be birding in some remote areas well away from modern medical facilities. The hotels during the tour range from good to luxurious standard. The roads are mostly in fair condition, although we will encounter some curvy roadways with potholes; while in a few areas we have rougher unpaved roads to traverse. Most days in the lowlands will be hot, dry and sunny. At higher montane sites, overcast conditions are fairly frequent and some rain, heavy at times, can be expected while temperatures can be rather cool in the early morning or later afternoon. Humidity levels are often rather high. Several nocturnal outings will be taken to search for nocturnal birds, and combined with some long travel days and mostly early starts, long days in the field are to be expected. ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE DETAILS: This tour does not include ANY airfares. The tour will depart from Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali (IATA: DPS) on the morning of day 1 with a short flight to Labuan Bajo. Please ensure that you arrive the day before the tour starts, spending the night in Denpasar. The tour will conclude at Soekarno Hatta International Airport, Jakarta (IATA: CGK) in the early morning of day 14. The above information in respect of arrivals and departures is a guide only. Precise arrival and departure information will be sent to you in your Tour Confirmation package once the tour has been officially confirmed. If you wish to arrive early and/or depart late and would like assistance in this regard, kindly contact the Rockjumper office. FLIGHTS: Ngurah Rai International Airport, Denpasar (IATA: DPS), is the main port of entry for international flights for this tour, while Soekarno Hatta International Airport, Jakarta (IATA: CGK) is the main point of departure. Both airports are well serviced by international carriers. Please DO NOT book any flights until you have consulted the Rockjumper office for confirmation on the status of the tour. Rockjumper Birding Ltd Vanilla Village, Royal Road Black River Mauritius Tel (USA & Canada) toll free: info@rockjumperbirding.com Alternative rockjumperbirding@yahoo.com Website: